Psychotherapy, Couple Counselling, and Supervision in Edinburgh and Glasgow

Specialising in: Sexuality and Relationship, Couple Counselling, Stress, Anxiety and Depression, Illness, Loss and Bereavement

PLEASE NOTE Covid-19: I now carry out all client work via Zoom, or over the phone.

How do I know Counselling or Psychotherapy is for me?

I offer an introductory session, for which there is a standard charge of £50.00. During this, we will discuss the concerns you are bringing, and look into whether counselling and psychotherapy is the best route for you.

  • Counselling or Psychotherapy, what's the difference?

There aren't hard and fast differences. The general distinction is that psychotherapy is longer term and goes deeper. If the issues which are troubling you aren't major, you may need just short term counselling work, perhaps 6 - 10 sessions. On the other hand, you may have problems which have been troubling you for a long time, which are affecting your ability to enjoy and appreciate life and which are seriously disrupting your ability to function. Then you may need to consider longer term psychotherapy, for a minimum of six months. Perhaps you may need to work for a year, or longer.

  • How important is it that I feel comfortable with you?

Very important. You are going to need to talk about things which may make you feel rather uncomfortable, so it's essential that you feel that I'm supportive and understanding. I encourage you to listen in to your feelings in the introductory session, then go away and reflect on how it felt for you, so that you can decide whether I am the person to come to. I will also reflect on how I felt during the session. I think that I'm quite an understanding and supportive guy, but human beings don't all get on or are necessarily able to see each other's point of view. There needs to be a degree of psychological 'fit'. If we feel after meeting that we're not right for each other, I'm very happy to refer you on to other good psychotherapists whose work I know well.

  • I may need to tell you things I am embarrassed about or ashamed about, how do I know you will keep my confidence?

I am a trained and accredited Psychotherapist, registered with the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy. The requirements of my training institute, and of the UKCP, are that I maintain client confidentiality at all times, apart from when there is an issue of serious harm to another person. In this, very rare, instance, I will inform the client that I need to break the contract of confidentiality.

  • How often will we meet?

I would like to see you weekly if possible, at least in the beginning. If your schedule is such that this is difficult, or finance is a problem, then we may move to fortnightly.

  • How long is each session?

Sessions usually last an hour.

  • How many sessions would we have?

I suggest to all clients that we do a minimum of six sessions. On the sixth of those, we would review progress, decide between us what is needed and recontract for whatever time period we agree on.

  • How much does it cost?

At the moment, I charge £50.00 per hour.

  • Where do you work?

I work in the centre of Edinburgh part of the time, and part of the time in the West End of Glasgow.